Intended to provide a basis for discussion, this captivating study evaluates the evidence of modern science in relation to the debate between the... atheistic and theistic resource addresses such topics as the origin of life; the genetic code and its origin; the nature and scope of evolution; and the scope and limits of science. Gripping and thoroughly argued, it is an illuminating look at one of man's greatest debates. This updated edition features 10 percent new content and a brand new forward from the author.

We live in a universe with a very long history, a vast cosmos where things are being worked out over unimaginably long ages. Stars and galaxies have... formed, and elements come forth from great stellar cauldrons. The necessary elements are present, the environment is fit for life, and slowly life forms have populated the earth. Are the creative forces purposeful, and in fact divine? Owen Gingerich believes in a universe of intention and purpose. We can at least conjecture that we are part of that purpose and have just enough freedom that conscience and responsibility may be part of the mix. They may even be the reason that pain and suffering are present in the world. The universe might actually be comprehensible. Taking Johannes Kepler as his guide, Gingerich argues that an individual can be both a creative scientist and a believer in divine design--that indeed the very motivation for scientific research can derive from a desire to trace God's handiwork. The scientist with theistic metaphysics will approach laboratory problems much the same as does his atheistic colleague across the hall. Both are likely to view the astonishing adaptations in nature with a sense of surprise, wonder, and mystery. In God's Universe Gingerich carves out "a theistic space" from which it is possible to contemplate a universe where God plays an interactive role, unnoticed yet not excluded by science.

Wandering dervishes formed a prominent feature of most Muslim communities well into the modern period, surviving in some regions even today. Shocking in... appearance, behavior, and speech, these social misfits were revered by the public, yet denounced by cultural elites. God's Unruly Friends is the first in-depth and comprehensive survey of this enigmatic type of piety, tracing the history of the different dervish groups that roamed the lands in Western, Central and South Asia, as well as the Middle East and Southeast Europe.

In the desert, you see, there is everything and nothing . . . It is God without men. —Honoré de Balzac, Une passion dans le désert, 1830Jaz and Lisa... Matharu are plunged into a surreal public hell after their son, Raj, vanishes during a family vacation in the California desert. However, the Mojave is a place of strange power, and before Raj reappears inexplicably unharmed—but not unchanged—the fate of this young family will intersect with that of many others, echoing the stories of all those who have traveled before them.Driven by the energy and cunning of Coyote, the mythic, shape-shifting trickster, Gods Without Men is full of big ideas, but centered on flesh-and-blood characters who converge at an odd, remote town in the shadow of a rock formation called the Pinnacles. Viscerally gripping and intellectually engaging, it is, above all, a heartfelt exploration of the search for pattern and meaning in a chaotic universe.  

The conclusions of critical biblical scholarship often pose a disconcerting challenge to traditional Christian faith. Between the two poles of... uncritical embrace and outright rejection of these conclusions, is there a third way? Can evangelical believers incorporate the insights of biblical criticism while at the same time maintaining a high view of Scripture and a vital faith? In this provocative book, Kenton Sparks argues that the insights from historical and biblical criticism can indeed be valuable to evangelicals and may even yield solutions to difficult issues in biblical studies while avoiding pat answers. This constructive response to biblical criticism includes taking seriously both the divine and the human aspects of the Bible and acknowledging the diversity that exists in the biblical texts.

In this book Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, presents the Word of God as a living reality in the Church. God's Word, according to Ratzinger, is... encountered in the Bible, in Tradition, and through the teaching Office of the Bishop, who, through apostolic succession, is to be the servant of and witness to the divine Word. Ratzinger examines as well the relationship between the Episcopacy and the Papacy. He also considers the nature of Apostolic Succession, and he responds to Reformed objections to the Catholic view of the subject. His treatment is sympathetic to the concerns of non-Catholic Christians while remaining faithful to Catholic teaching and practice. This book also includes the famous Erasmus Lecture of Cardinal Ratzinger, which assesses the strengths and weaknesses of modern critical approaches to biblical interpretation. Ratzinger proposes a new approach that avoids the pitfalls of a narrowly critical outlook on the Bible without succumbing to fundamentalism. God's Word provides profound insights into Pope Benedict XVI's efforts to renew the Church's participation in God's Truth through the divine Word, as well as the Church's mission to proclaim the Word to all people. "The calm, clear, and precise teaching that has characterized the theological work of Joseph Ratzinger as Peritus, Archbishop, Prefect, and Pope is placed before the Christian reader in this newly republished volume, God's Word:Scripture, Tradition, Office. Both refreshing and prophetic, this writing lays the groundwork for the two great initiatives that Pope Benedict XVI has stated are the top priorities of his pontificate, evangelization and ecumenism. Bypassing the bland contemporary approach that reduces these noble objectives to mere niceness, this book faces the problems that, if resolved, will make possible the "New Evangelization" envisioned by Pope John Paul II and the "full and visible unity of all Christ's followers" so desired by Pope Benedict XVI himself. This book, though not light reading, will be of interest and inspiration to all Christians who honestly seek truth and unity. -- Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz "This book brings together three important treatises on the issue of Scripture and Tradition from the pen of one of the greatest theologians ever to hold the papal office. Written with clarity and insight, this book helps us to trace the development of this important theme in Catholic theology since Vatican II, and it also opens up fruitful avenues of ecumenical advance. A little masterpiece!"--Timothy George Founding Dean, Beeson Divinity School Samford University.

"An outstanding study of the call to ministry among African American clergy. This is the broadest and deepest study of African American call stories and... narratives ever written . . . Myers has placed the call narratives and stories in theoretical perspective, relating them to the traditions of hermeneutics and theological reflection. Highly recommended."--Lawrence H. Mamiya, Vassar College.

God, the Bible and Human Consciousness brings a fresh voice to the discussion of spirituality and biblical truth claims. Biblical archetypes--orphans,... rival twins, suffering heroes--appear in cognate forms in virtually every culture. These figures represent developmental realities so fundamental, so perpetually true, that they are encoded as part of the genetic heritage. Rejecting fundamentalist literalism and atheist polemics, Clasby develops a new path, using current studies in the cognitive sciences and narrative forms. This book offers a breakaway reading of the Bible--compatible with reason and with the traditions of Western religious belief.

Is the existence of God a reasonable premise? In this book, William O'Malley, SJ, examines this critical question and many other related questions with... a rare combination of rigorous gravity and irreverent humor. A Jesuit priest and prolific writer, O'Malley delves into the existence of God by looking at modern science, classical philosophy, literature and art, and the religious traditions of East and West. God: the Oldest Question provides thoughtful answers for anyone looking to better understand their faith and what it all means.

In God vs. Darwin, Mano Singham dissects the legal battle between evolution and creationism in the classroom beginning with the Scopes Monkey trial in... 1925 and ending with an intelligent design trial in Dover, Pennsylvania, in 2005. A publicity stunt, the Scopes Monkey trial had less to do with legal precedence than with generating tourism dollars for a rural Tennessee town. But the trial did successfully spark a debate that has lasted more than 80 years and simply will not be quelled despite a succession of seemingly definitive court decisions. In the greatest demonstration of survival, opposition to the teaching of evolution has itself evolved. Attempts to completely eliminate the teaching of evolution from public schools have given way to the recognition that evolution is here to stay, that explicitly religious ideas will never be allowed in public schools, and that the best that can be hoped for is to chip away at the credibility of the theory of evolution. Dr. Singham deftly answers complex questions: Why is there such intense antagonism to the teaching of evolution in the United States? What have the courts said about the various attempts to oppose it? Sprinkled with interesting tidbits about Charles Darwin and the major players of the evolution vs. creationism debate, God vs. Darwin is charming in its embrace of the strong passions aroused from the topic of teaching evolution in schools.

A deeply compelling collection of poems about God and our everyday world from a Newbery medalist. Cynthia Rylant takes teens on an invigorating... spiritual journey as she explores what God's life on Earth might be like. Rylant's reflective and often humorous verse follows God as he tries out human activities such as getting a dog, writing a fan letter, and making spaghetti. God Went to Beauty School combines the awesome with the everyday in an accessible, thought–provoking, and intelligent manner.

Godwired offers an engaging exploration of religious practice in the digital age. It considers how virtual experiences, like stories, games and... rituals, are forms of world-building or "cosmos construction" that serve as a means of making sense of our own world. Such creative and interactive activity is, arguably, patently religious. This book examines: the nature of sacred space in virtual contexts technology as a vehicle for sacred texts who we are when we go online what rituals have in common with games and how they work online what happens to community when people worship online how religious "worlds" and virtual "worlds" nurture similar desires. Rachel Wagner suggests that whilst our engagement with virtual reality can be viewed as a form of religious activity, today’s virtual religion marks a radical departure from traditional religious practice – it is ephemeral, transient, rapid, disposable, hyper-individualized, hybrid, and in an ongoing state of flux.

Jean-Luc Marion advances a controversial argument for a God free of all categories of Being. Taking a characteristically postmodern stance, Marion... challenges a fundamental premise of both metaphysics and neo-Thomist theology: that God, before all else, must be. Rather, he locates a "God without Being" in the realm of agape, of Christian charity or love.This volume, the first translation into English of the work of this leading Catholic philosopher, offers a contemporary perspective on the nature of God."An immensely thoughtful book. . . . It promises a rich harvest. Marion's highly original treatment of the idol and the icon, the Eucharist, boredom and vanity, conversion and prayer takes theological and philosophical discussions to a new level."—Norman Wirzba, Christian Century

The combination of profound thought and eloquent writing is a rare gift, especially in the field of scriptural exegesis. Stephen J. Lennox, Ph.D., has... that gift, delivering a powerful message in ,God With Us: An Introduction to the Old Testament. Troubled that the Old Testament is little known, little read, and little appreciated, he wanted to help those unskilled in reading the Bible or overwhelmed by its length to see its artistry, wisdom, and relevance. God With Us introduces the student to the Old Testament, examining the culture, history, and imagery of ancient times; and analyzing the structure, function, and message of the Old Testament books--with a focus on discovering God's plan and His character. This bird's-eye view of the Bible clearly demonstrates how God introduced a radically new and different ethical standard, one that took His people from where they were to where He wanted them to be.

This Old Testament overview examines the culture, history, and imagery of ancient biblical times, as well as the structure, function, and especially the... theology of the Old Testament books. Chapters include a content summary, maps and timelines, study questions, and intriguing discussions of perplexing passages. With eloquence and passion, Dr. Lennox leads the reader to discover the plan and character of God.